TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Wednesday that Western physicians and dentists can legally perform acupuncture after completing 192 hours of training but procedures are generally paid out of pocket and not covered by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) health insurance.
The announcement came after reports that a rehabilitation clinic in Tainan charged a man NT$6,700 (US$210) for acupuncture, NT$1,700 more than the original quote, per CNA. The patient said the treatment was ineffective, prompting debate over non-TCM practitioners performing acupuncture.
Su Yi-chang (蘇奕彰), head of the ministry's Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, said that acupuncture is not exclusive to TCM practitioners.
Su explained that acupuncture has applications across multiple medical fields, citing dentists using it for pain relief. Licensed doctors can integrate acupuncture into their clinical practice regardless of specialty after completing training.
However, Su said that under National Health Insurance rules, acupuncture coverage applies only to contracted TCM medical institutions. Western medicine and dental clinics are not part of the TCM insurance system, so acupuncture services there cannot be reimbursed and are typically paid out of pocket, with fees reported to local health authorities.
Su added that even if qualified to perform acupuncture, Western medicine physicians may not claim Chinese medicine practitioner status. To practice as a TCM doctor, a physician must pass the licensing exam and hold a formal license — and the two qualifications must not be confused.
Su Shou-yi (蘇守毅), chair of the National Union of Chinese Medical Doctors' Associations, said regulations allow Western doctors to provide certain TCM services like acupuncture but prohibit NHI claims. He added that some doctors offer acupuncture free of charge while others charge fees, urging patients to confirm costs before treatment.
